LSU (14-7, 2-1 SEC) had a scare late in the rubber match against Mizzou (15-5, 1-2 SEC), but the Tigers from Baton Rouge were able to keep them out of reach, winning 7-5 to take the first SEC series of the season.
Mizzou wasted zero time, getting on the board with Brett Bond hitting a sac fly out to right field to score Trey Harris. Later in the inning, Chad McDaniel made it 2-0 courtesy of an RBI single through the left side.
Antoine Duplantis responded for LSU in the bottom of the first with a sac fly out to left field, scoring Zach Watson. LSU tied it up in the second inning after Watson hit an RBI single out to center field. Hunter Feduccia kept things going in the third inning when he hit an RBI single in the bottom of the third to give LSU a 3-2 lead.
They managed to put a little extra cushion in between themselves and Mizzou in the sixth with a three-run inning capped off by an RBI single from Brandt Broussard.
Things got interesting in the ninth inning when Kameron Misner blasted a three-run home run out to right field to cut LSU’s lead to two runs. However, Austin Bain was able to limit the damage, striking out the next batter followed by a popup by Brett Bond caught by Broussard sealed Mizzou’s fate.
Ma’Khail Hilliard improved to 5-0 on the season allowing two runs off of six hits, walked one, and struck out six in six innings of work.
LSU will return to action on Wednesday, hosting the Tulane Green Wave (9-12) with first pitch set for 6:30 pm.
-Clint Domingue